The festive season is the ideal time of year to have a party with loved ones. The majority of nations have distinctive holiday customs that include glitzy lights, ornate decorations, and joyous music. And one such festival is Christmas which is widely celebrated across the globe. Every nation has a national dish or dessert that makes Christmas incomplete. And a magical way to spend time with family is to bake cookies for Christmas when the lights are on.
Around the world, this time of year, there are Christmas lights and trees on every street corner, as well as puddings and plum cakes on the bakery shelves. However, the spirit of the season cannot be fully embraced without making traditional foods rooted in customs that are centuries old.
Continue reading to read more about Christmas desserts that are a tradition in different countries. By the end, you can explore and order Christmas cakes online if you crave desserts, which we are optimistic you will.
Niche De Noel from France
This traditional Christmas dessert from France gets its name and appearance from a wood log. The Swiss roll-like light, airy sponge cake has a filling that is typically chocolate buttercream or chocolate ganache. Of course, there are more options now; the fillings range from blueberry to tiramisu to cherry, raspberry, mocha, peanut butter, and hazelnut. The dessert, which resembles tree bark, was developed in the 19th century by bakers who based it on the Yule log tradition, a dying French custom in which, earlier, families used to burn a piece of wood on the shortest day of the year. However, the cake went on to become famous throughout the world.
Plum Cake from the Middle Ages of England
This well-known Christmas dish, also known as plum cake or fruit cake, may have gained a reputation on a global scale, but it all began in England during the Middle Ages when people would consume a porridge flavoured with spices, dried fruits, and honey on Christmas Eve in order to stay warm. This porridge has had various additions over the years, including wheat and eggs, which is how this cake came into existence. Now, days before Christmas, bakeries worldwide produce these luscious plum cakes, each with unique variations.
Bibingka from the Streets of the Philippines
If you don’t think of Christmas as a time for street food, go to the Philippines to witness how this rice cake is made and eaten at this time of year. It is often prepared in a terracotta dish lined with banana leaves and baked in a clay oven with coals underneath and on top. It is made using coconut milk, eggs, sugar, milk, and butter. These were customarily offered to indigenous deities before Christmas appeared in the colonial era. Some people find the aroma of making bibingka to be just as alluring as the cake that has become closely linked to the Filipino Christmas tradition. After service, it is typically eaten as breakfast; hence it is typical to find several street vendors near churches throughout the holiday season.
Pavlova from New Zealand
It was Originally from New Zealand but named after a ballet dancer from Russia; Pavlova is a distinctive dessert that is popular down under in the summer, especially around the holidays. It is a meringue cake with a crunchy shell, a marshmallow-like core, and fruit and whipped cream on top. This dessert is a light treat that goes great with the season and is well-liked in Australia. The legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova visited New Zealand and Australia during her globe tour in the mid-late 1920s. It is assumed that this is when the recipe first appeared.
Bunuelos from Mexico
Christmas in Mexico isn’t complete without eating Bunuelos, which are deep-fried fritters that are then covered in sugar syrup and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Regional variations include the addition of cinnamon, anise, and cloves, while some keep it simple. They go nicely with ponche – a warm fruit punch- typically sold at Christmas carnivals, fairs, and street vendors. There are also savoury variations, such as those that include cheese.
Vaniljekranse from Denmar
Danish butter cookies are known as vaniljekranse, which translates to “vanilla wreaths.” These delectable little cookies are a traditional holiday treat in Denmark and other nations like the Dominican Republic. These cookies have a straightforward vanilla flavour and a softly crisp texture, which make it hard not to smile. Many individuals worldwide have the chance to add this delectable Christmas treat to their holiday traditions thanks to the export of these beautiful cookies throughout the holiday season.